Machine for making fiber composition



June 1 1926. 4 L587fl27 W G. Q'BRIE N MACHINE FOR MAKING FIBERCOMPOSITION Filed Sept. 16, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Mum/11.6UBE'IEA/ ATTORNEY deposited thereon.

Patented June 1, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM G. OBRIEN, OF AKRON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE GOODYEARiTIBE &RUBBER COMPANY, OF AKRON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

macnmn ron naxme FIBER COMPOSITION.

Application filed September My invention relates to a machine for makinga fiber composition, and it has particular relation to machines of thecharacter designated of the type known as the Fourdrinler machines,which are commonly used in the manufacture of paper.

One object of my invention is to provide a novel type of machine wherebythe fiber composition is protected during the course of its treatmentfrom sudden strains and the possibility of displacement of the fiberswhile passing through a compressing process.

Another object of my invention consists in providing very accuratelyregulated means whereby pressure may be applied gradually upon thefibrous composition, while passing through a compressing operation.

Another object ofmy invention is to provide a machine of the Fourdriniertype which is particularly adapted for the manufacture of thick fibrousmaterial.

A still further object of my invention consists in providing a novelarrangement of the machine elements which is particularly adapted for acontinuous production of fibrous composition, in which a travelin screenor wire strains the fibers from a liqui while passing up an inclinedplane, and washes the same when rubber coated fibers are.employed, whilepassing over an adjacent horizontal plane.

Heretofore it has been customary, in machines of'the Fourdrinier type,to deposit the fibers upon a' moving screen or porous belt, which passesover a suction box adapted to remove therefrom the liquid in which thefibers were suspended. The screen thereafter carries the fibers betweentwo adjacently disposed pressure rolls, one of which is disposed beneaththe travelling screen,

and the other of which is disposed above the screen and engages thefibrous composition An objection to the aforementioned type of machineis that when a thick composition is passed between the pressure rolls,the

fibers are sometimes broken, and are frequently displaced from theirnatural felted arrangement, owing to the sudden applica-. tion of therelatively high pressure necessary to properly remove the liquidtherefrom. This dificulty renders the commonly used 16, 1922. Serial No.588,665.

Fourdrinier machine unsuitable for making thick materials, such ascardboard, which is now usually formed in layers as a result. Anotherdisadvantage of the machine in question is that the suction boxes mayonly be applied to the bottom side of the fibrous compositlon, since, ifapplied to the top side, a portion of the fibers would be carrieddirectly into the suction box along with the liquid removed thereby.

By my invention I have eliminated the aforementioned objections by theuse of a second or auxiliary screen which engages the top of the fibrouscomposition and is instrumental in causing the pressure necessary forthe proper compression of the material to be applied gradually, thuspreventing the breakage and displacement of the fibers the side framemembers being omitted for the sake of clearness; and Fig. 2 IS a similarview of a machine constructed in accordance with another form which myinvention may assume.

-In the drawings, I show a fiber composition making machine comprising atraveling screen or carrier belt 3, a portion of which passes throu h alowermost horizontal lane 4, over an idler pulley 5, up an inc 'nedplane 6, over an idling pulley 7 through an uppermost horizontal p ane8, over a driving pulley 9, and back to the horizontal plane 4. Whilepassing up the inclined plane 6, a quantity of liquid, having fiberssuspended therein, fiows through the screen, being introduced theretothrough a conduit 10, and the fibrous suspended therein are strainedtherefrom by the' screen 3. The fibers are deposited upon the screenwhile it passes up the horizontal plane 6, a large portion of the liquidbeing removed there from by means of a suction box 11, disposed ad acentto the inclined plane 6 in engagement with the bottom of the screen 3.

the sides of the screen on the inclined plane ti, bv means of decklestraps 12, one of which Is disposed at each side of the screen and movestherewith until a considerable portion.

of the liquid has been removed from the fibers, after which they willremain in substantially their original form without further assistancefrom the deckle straps. The

straps 12 are moved in the inclined plane 6 b the wire and pass over aloweridling' pul ey'13, ad acent to the pulley 5 and an upper pulley 14,adjacent to the pulley 7. The, fibers deposited upon the screen 3,

while on the inclined plane 6, are carried into the horizontal plane 8.The top surwhich event it is necessary that means be provided fordriving the two screens at exactly the same spee'd,as a difierence ofspeed would ruin the matted formation of the fibers, and probably crushand "break a large number thereof.

The ulley 16 is disposed at such distance from t e horizontal plane 8 ofthe screen 3 that the screen 15 initially engages the fibrouscomposition without exerting any strain thereon. The fibrous comosition, illustrated at 18, pames between the wires 3 and 15, and, whilein that position, is subjected to treatment by-a suction box 19 disposedbelow the wire 8. If any further treatinent'of the fibers is desirable,as for example, when rubber coated fibers are empioyed, the compositionis'next treated by ing washed with a liquid rubber precipitant,sprayedthereon by means of a device '21 disposed above the screen 15 andcooperating with a suction box 22, below and in engagement with thecarrier screen 3. The purpose of thetreatment with the precipitatingfluid is to displace, as far as possible, any rubber solvent or otherundersirable 1i uid which may be contained in the fibrous mixture. Thesuction box 22 serves to removeany li uid which comes throu h the fibersfrom t e spra 21, or which is' dis- 1 placed by the liquld rom the spray211 The auxiliary belt 15 is engaged by an ad justable pressure'roll 23,disposed substan-' tially opposite to a cooperating pressure roll24, inengagement. with the screen 3. Both of the rolls 23 and 24 are disposedat some distance from the front pulley 16 of the screen 15, and thetension on the screens both sides are sure is exerted upon the materialcarried by t t I thescreen 3 very gradually, sjtarting'at the The fibersand the liquid from the con du1t 10 are prevented from escaping overtime "that the material "passes beneath the pulley 16,- and ending as itpasses between gree. The roller 23 'is' adjustable with respect to theroll ery24 in order that the pressure exerted thereby may be controlledas desired. The-entireauxiliary belt supporting mechanism is alsoadjustable with respect to the carrying belt supporting mechanism, inorder that differentthicknesses of material may be accommodated thereby.

From the foregoing description it will be 1 the rollers 23- and-24 atwhich time thefibers I have bee i ompress' a to the desired deapparentthat Lhave' provided a machine 'in which the fibrous material .isprotected from injury of any type and in which the pressureexertedthereon, for the purpose of 8!! compressing the same,-"is exertedvery grad-'- 'ually, thusavoiding any possibility of in-.-

jury to theindividual fibers, and the possibility of disturbing. the:mattedrelation thereof. Also, it will be apparent that this invention,used on f a" Fourdrinier machine, enables the operatorto make a fibroussheet material, such, for example as cardboard, of 6 any desiredthickness. 7 Also, it; will be apparent that: I have increased theefficiency of the liquid removing means by. disposing 5 suction boxes'on'both sides of the material, which is possible since:

rotected' by means of a device 21- may' throw a liquid'thereonwitconsider screen. In addition the sprayin ably greater-force orin greatervolume than on a material supported upon :a single screen, since thefibers cannot be disarrangedthereby owing to the fact that'they are helin position between'two screens.

It will'also be apparent thatI'have proconstruction ofthe machine. 1

In another form of my'inventi0n,as best illustrated in Fig;2,I provideanother novel type of pressure exerting@me'chanism. In this device the.carrier belt 3 passes through a horizontal plane-8,.through which itcarries the fibrous-material-zin the directions.

indicated by the arrows 4 While passing through the plane 8, thematerial is engaged by an auxiliary belt 15, which moves inthedirections indicated by arrows 15, and is washed by means of asprayingmechanism' 21: and a cooperating suction box 22, as de-' scribed inconnection with the machine illustrated in Fig. ;1. The mechanismconsists of a p urality of spheres.

ressure applying 23 which are divided into a front compartment 24 and arear compartment 25. The spheres in the front compartment 24 are smallerand lighter in weight than are those in compartment 25, so as to appl agradually increasing pressure on the brous material as it passes throughthe machine. A relatively long suction .box 26 is disposed opposite tothe pressure applying device, so as to remove any liquid which may beforced from the fibrous composition thereby. The pressure applyingdevice may consist of any desired number of compartments, depending onthe material to be manufactured. The pressure exerted by the device maybe regulated by removing or adding to any of the compartmentsany desirednumber of the spheres. Barriers 27 prevent the movement otthe spheres 23with the belt 15 over which they roll as the belt moves.

Although I have illustrated several forms of my invention and havedescribed in detail several applications thereof, it will be apparent tothose skilled in the art that it is not so limited but that variousminor changes and modifications may be made therein Without departingfrom the spirit of my invention, and I desire to be limited only by thescope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A machine for making fiber composition comprising a movable screenadapted to transport the fibers, an auxiliary screen disposed inengagement with the fibers and adapted to move therewith and means forapp ying pressure on saidauxiliary screen comprising a plurality ofweight members of circular cross section disposed upon said auxiliaryscreen.

2. A machine for making fiber composition comprising a movable screenadapted to transport the fibers, an auxiliary screen disposed inengagement with the fibers and adapted to move therewith, and means forapp ying pressure on said auxiliary screen comprising a plurality ofmembers of graduated weights disposed upon said auxiliary screen.

3. A machine for making fiber composition comprisin a movable screenadapted to transport the bers, an auxiliary screen disposed inengagement with the fibers and adapted to move therewith, and-means forapp ying pressure on said auxiliary screen comprising a plurality ofgroups of members disposed upon said auxiliary screen and adapted toexert a graduated pressure thereon.

4. A machine for making fiber composition comprising a movable screenadapted to transport the bers, an auxiliary screen disposed inengagement with the fibers and ada ted to move therewith, and means forapp ying pressure on saidauxiliary screen comprising a plurality ofseparate rotatable spherical weight members disposed upon said auxiliaryscreen.

5. A machine for making fiber composition comprising a movable screenadapted to transport the fibers, an auxiliary screen disposed inengagement with the fibers and adapted to move therewith, and means forapplying pressure on said auxiliary screen comprising a plurality ofspherical Weight members disposed upon said auxiliary screen. i

6. A machine for making fiber composition comprising a movable screenadapted to transport the fibers, an auxiliary screen disposed inengagement with the fibers and adapted to move therewith, and means forapplying pressure on said auxiliary screen comprising a plurality ofweight members of circular cross section disposed upon said auxiliaryscreen, and means for retaining said members on a predetermined portionof said screen.

7. A machine for making fiber composition comprising a movable screenadapted to transport the fibers, an auxiliary screen disposed inengagement with the fibers and adapted to move therewith, and means forapplying pressure on said auxiliary screen comprising a plurality ofspherical weight members disposed upon said auxiliary screen, and meansfor preventing movement of the weight members with the screen.

8. Amachine for making fiber composition comprising a movable screenadapted to transport the fibers, an auxiliary screen disposed inengagement with the fibers, and adapted to move therewith, and means forapplying pressure on said auxiliary screen comprising a plurality ofgraduated weights disposed upon said auxiliary screen. I

9. A machine for'making fiber composition comprising a movable screenadapted to transport the fibers, an auxiliary screen disposed inengagement with the fibers and adapted to move therewith, and means forapplying pressure on said auxiliary screen comprising a plurality ofspherical members of relatively different weights disposed upon saidscreen.

10. A machine for making fiber composition comprisin a movable screenadapted to transport the bers, an auxiliary screen disposed inengagement" with the fibers, and ada ted to move therewith, and means'for app ymg pressure on said auxiliary screen comprising a plurality ofmembers of relatively light weight and a plurality of relatively heavierweight disposed upon the auxiliary screen, the weight members being soarranged that the composition is first, compressed by the relativelylight weight members and subsequently by the heavier weight members. I

11. A machine for making fiber composition comprising a movable screenadapted to transport the fibers, an auxiliaryscreen disposed in Jen'gagement'with the fibers and adapted to move therewith, andmeans forapplying pressure on said auxiliary screen compr sing a plurality ofspherical members of relatively ,difl'erent weights'disposed upon theauxiliary screen, the weight members being so arranged as to compressthe composition gradually.

12. A machine for making fiber composition comprising a movable screenadapted to transportthe fibers, an auxiliarysereendis ofrelativelydifferent weights disposed upon the auxiliary screen, the weight membersbeing so arranged that the fiber composition is gradually compressedduring its course of 2 travel by successively heavier weights.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

WILLIAM G. OBRIEN.

